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The Irish Sun
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
I've got a normal job but my surprise side hustle means thousands flock to my music festival with 00s icon headliner
AN Irish festival trailblazer has lifted the lid on running a fledgling music event – from the "chaos" of organising the huge event to bizarre dressing room requests. Craig Hughes also revealed how scouting acts for next year's shindig has already begun before a single note has been played at this week's festival. 4 Night and Day Festival will take over Lough Key Forest Park in Roscommon this weekend 4 Craig Hughes is one of the organisers of the festival But there is also a growing trend among festival fans that is putting significant planning pressure on organisers. Craig started a side hustle as one of the organisers of the festival back in 2022, and he has been fine tuning the event each year since. KT Tunstall, The Stunning, Paul Brady and The Wailers are all on the bill for this weekend's edition, along with Irish favourites Something Happens and Sultans of Ping. Now in its fourth year, the festival will see thousands flock to the Lough Key Forest Park, in Boyle, Co And Craig told how cash flow is the biggest area of concern for such gatherings, which is why tickets for large music festivals go on sale so far in advance. He explained: 'One reason is to get But Craig, whose main career is in journalism, told how a few bum notes were encountered during the initial phase of the project, first held on the grounds of Clonalis House in Castlerea. Craig revealed: 'You think you have everything under control the first year and it's inevitably chaos as you're trying to grapple with bringing thousands of people into a venue safely." Despite any teething issues, the venture has become a fully-fledged family business aiming to pull out all the stops. Recounting its beginnings, Craig told us: 'It all started when my uncle Brendan Hurley moved back from working with the World Economic Forum in Geneva, where he was putting on big events. "He's a sound engineer and production manager. We're from TOP TIPS FOR ATTENDING MUSIC FESTIVALS NIGHT and Day organiser Craig Hughes shared his top tips for those attending music festivals this summer. First up, he has urged anyone planning their outfits for a festival to take into account the Irish weather. He told the Irish Sun: 'Whenever you go to a festival in Ireland you should pack for all "We're fortunate we have our tents but you should always have a rain jacket, but also pack for the sun, bring some cream.' If you regularly find yourself waking up through the night to the sound of the He said: 'It's really important to bring earplugs. We have music go on until 3am, so if you don't want to have bass ringing in your ears until the morning you should have some earplugs.' Craig also recommended packing a good pair of shoes, good socks and of course, 'your dancing shoes'. Craig added: "We dragged in another 'It's bringing together a broad skill set - so me with the communications and media side of things, Brendan having done a lot of production management and sound engineering, and then Dermot with the site layout and service delivery side of things - and any other family members dragged in across the weekend.' The festival has seen a huge amount of growth since its humble beginnings in 2022. But with an expansion in popularity comes increased workload and preparation. PROLONGED PLANNING Planning for a summer Craig explained: 'One reason is to get "The second is to capture that feel good factor that people have after having an amazing weekend at the festival - that's the starting point, even at the moment we're already looking at acts for next year, seeing who's available and the nature of [their] touring, especially for the bigger acts, they put it out a long way in advance. "After that, you're looking at communications plans. We announce our first headline acts around November/December, so that's the first big milestone in terms of planning and pushing it out there.' NEW ADDITIONS This year, the team have added two new stages, including a late-night DJ platform on the venue's Moylurg Tower, which will include live animations projected onto the structure that are synced with the music. He continued: 'You're thinking away at those new projects all throughout the year. "Then as you come into the final stages you're dealing with the real nuts and bolts; the logistics of the tents arriving, health and safety issues, toilets arriving. "They really come into focus now as well as your final push that as many people know as possible that the festival is going on.' Taking the set-up, site costs, artist fees and insurance into account, Craig and the team typically look at expenditure that runs into the region of hundreds of thousands of euros. FESTIVAL FINANCES And unsurprisingly paying the artists is one of the most expensive aspects. Craig said: 'It all adds up and for us insurance hasn't been one of the biggest cost drivers but everything else really has increased since we started. "Even artist fees have gone up, especially the big international ones because inflation has hit the cost of touring, whether that's from them bringing their own sound engineer with them or the increased logistical costs.' These financial constraints are a major reason why many festivals use tier ticket pricing. You think you have everything under control the first year and it's inevitably chaos as you're trying to grapple with bringing thousands of people into a venue safely." Craig Hughes As one of the main drivers for cash flow, enticing punters to purchase tickets sooner at a reduced price helps bring money in early, and gives organisers an estimate of how many attendees can be expected. But the rising trend of festival fans buying their tickets closer to the event date has had an impact on planning, as it's difficult to prepare accurately without a full grasp on the official number of tickets that will be sold before it takes place. Craig explained: 'That might mean you may plan for less people and have to go sold out even if the demand is actually going to be greater. "It also means that you can't spend as much on an artist budget or an extra art installation that you would have because you're worried that the numbers weren't going to pick up at the last minute, and that of course impacts on cash flow as well. "A lot of festivals will have a cash-heavy month in the month beforehand because all your infrastructure has to be paid for in advance of the festival, so if someone is buying a ticket on the weekend of the festival, that cash is no good to meeting those demands that fall beforehand.' FESTIVAL'S FUTURE For Night and Day Festival, the goal now is to reach 5,000 attendees per day - and they're hoping to come close to it this year. And the location has been a massive help towards achieving this goal. He explained: 'We're very lucky with our location in Lough Key Forest Park because there is so much infrastructure there already. 'If you think about going to a festival, they have to bring in all the toilets and all the showers - Lough Key is a purpose built campsite all year round so we have indoor toilets, indoor showers and electric and water hookups on pitches [for camper vans]. 'We're also looking to tap into mains power on the site so we're hoping to be completely generator free in a couple of years and expand beyond the 5,000 attendees in the next few years. 'However, I don't see us getting up to the lofty heights of ONLY OPTION But this smaller and independent festival has plenty happening for attendees that some of the bigger offerings don't. Craig, whose day job is political editor of the Irish Daily Mail, explained: 'You can arrive by boat which you can't do to any other festival. We also have expansive family-friendly offerings. "We're an over 20s festival but if you're under 14 you can come in on a kid's ticket. We have a full immersive program with workshops, kids yoga, circus skills and things to keep kids entertained.' FOCUS ON IRISH ACTS Another difference is the focus the organisers put on Irish acts, while including some international talent. They want to shine a light on homegrown talent and even host a competition for up-and-coming musicians where the winner gets to play at the festival. "A lot of festivals will have a cash heavy month in the month beforehand because all your infrastructure has to be paid for in advance of the festival, so if someone is buying a ticket on the weekend of the festival, that cash is no good to meeting those demands that fall beforehand.' Craig Hughes Craig explained: 'We have some international acts every year, but we have a really strong focus on Irish acts. "There really is so much great Irish talent that isn't highlighted enough - so what we look to do when people come to Night and Day is to have a sprinkling of big international acts, but also introduce them to new music that they wouldn't have heard already. "Our goal is to put on a world class event. We've spent a lot of money on having high production value. We put a really big emphasis on production and having high quality standards.' LINE-UP CHOICE And Craig also shed some light on how organisers pick a lineup - and it doesn't just come down to who the biggest acts are at the time. It involves looking at what types of venues artists have played before, looking at their Irish listeners on Spotify, along with followers from Ireland on When putting it all together, it starts from the top - beginning with the largest headliner and working the way down the line-up. But Craig said it's not always a foregone conclusion that the headliners you want will actually play the festival. He revealed that certain times while planning, bigger acts have been booked elsewhere in the time it takes to nail down the specifics. He revealed: 'That's kind of the nature of this sometimes. [There was one act we wanted but] we couldn't agree things in time and they got booked elsewhere, so you have to not hesitate when you're going forward with these things, but I think that's just the nature of the beast.' BIZARRE REQUEST To date, the festival hasn't encountered any bad experiences with the artists they've booked. Although, Craig did reveal one quirky request that they received from a performer. He explained: 'Sometimes you get some unusual requests from artists, regarding what should be left in the dressing room and what they want when they arrive on site. "Emma Langford asked for a picture of a dog - it doesn't have to be your dog but what she wants is to have a picture of a dog left in her dressing room, which I always thought was really fun. "Thankfully we haven't had anyone who's been too dramatic just yet but maybe that'll happen when we start bringing bigger superstars to Lough Key.' KT Tunstall, The Stunning, Lisa Hannigan, Paul Brady and Something Happens play Night and Day this weekend. For more info see 4 DJ Nialler9, festival organiser Craig Hughes and DJ Colin Perkins 4 The festival has family friendly activities Credit: Facebook
Irish Examiner
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
The best thing about fatherhood? 'Loving, and being loved, in a way you've never loved before'
What's the best thing about fatherhood? Tom Dunne, presenter of The Tom Dunne Show on Newstalk and singer/songwriter with Something Happens. Dad to Eva (18) and Skye (16): Not being smart, but it's having children. They are an endless fascination, a gift from the skies. They make your own existence into a peripheral, unimportant thing. Brian Redmond, Dancing With the Stars judge, presenter of The KCLR Daily radio show. Dad to Alex (15) and Anna (10) : The love they give you. When they're young, they look up to you so much. They love us unconditionally, look up to us, and find us inspiring, regardless of what it is we do, or how good or how bad we were in work that day. Kids just love you for being their parent. Dr Richard Hogan, psychotherapist, author, podcaster. Dad to Hannah (14), Lizzy (11), and Sophie (eight): It's the greatest gift in my life. It healed a lot of stuff that happened in my own childhood. Being with your children allows you to make sure that certain cycles don't repeat. That's the great gift of it. PJ Gallagher, co-host of Radio Nova's Morning Glory with PJ & Jim. Dad to twins Milo and Stevie (21 months): Proving to yourself that you really don't know what you're doing, and having to be comfortable with that. You spend so much of your life trying to convince yourself that you know what you're doing and you're a responsible adult, and at the end of the day, two kids come into your life and you [realise] I'm just a big child in control of two children, and I get it all wrong, and that's OK. Arthur Gourounlian, creative director, professional dancer, and Dancing With the Stars judge. Dad to Blake (two years and nine months) and Blu (11 months) Arthur Gourounlian, creative director, professional dancer, and Dancing With the Stars judge. Dad to Blake (two years and nine months) and Blu (11 months): It's how much I'm obsessed with them. I never realised how much I could love someone more than me, more than anybody, more than my husband. Fatherhood opened my eyes in a different way to life. I'm mesmerised to see them smile every morning, and when I say 'goodnight' and they say 'bonsoir papa', my eyes fill with tears. It's the best feeling in the world being a parent. Kevin Dundon, chef, director of Dunbrody Country House Hotel, cookbook author. Dad to Emily (24), Sophie (21), and Tom (17): Seeing them grow and progress through life, whether it's academically or [in] sport; their personal growth stories are amazing to see. Our eldest is working in an area she loves, living abroad and doing really well. The second is about to graduate and has been living and studying abroad for the last three years and is just about to start a new chapter in London. Our youngest is heading into Leaving Cert and sixth year rugby and is looking to architecture, which I have a huge interest in, so I can't wait to see how his career path pans out. Brendan O'Connor, journalist and presenter of the Brendan O'Connor Show on RTÉ Radio 1. Dad to Anna (17) and Mary (14): Loving in a way you've never loved before and being loved in a way you've never been loved before. And also, the longer it goes on, watching them becoming themselves is a joy. Also it's a good laugh in general. And then they get old enough to actually have a laugh with you, not quite peer-to-peer, but they get to a point when they can credibly take the piss out of you/with you. And that's funny. Carl Mullan, TV and radio presenter and co-host of The RTÉ 2fm Breakfast Show. Dad to Daibhí (three), Éala (21 months), and Béibhínn (four months): Getting to see your kids' personalities and sense of humour develop before your eyes. It's magic. That and seeing the joy your kids bring to your wider family. Neven Maguire, chef and owner of McNean House, Blacklion, Co Cavan. Dad to twins Connor and Lucia (13): Our twins have just finished their first year of secondary school and it has been so much pleasure watching them grow and flourish, each with their own personalities. David and Stephen Flynn, The Happy Pear, chefs, cookbook authors, podcasters, and entrepreneurs. David is dad to Elsie (14), Issy (12), and Fia (21 months); Stephen is dad to May (14), Theo (12), and Ned (eight). David and Stephen Flynn, The Happy Pear, chefs, cookbook authors, podcasters, and entrepreneurs. David is dad to Elsie (14), Issy (12), and Fia (21 months); Stephen is dad to May (14), Theo (12), and Ned (eight): David: Without doubt, the cuddles, the giggles, and that deep connection. Being a dad is the greatest privilege; getting to guide, support, and help shape little humans. It's a chance to serve and share the values that matter most. Stephen: It's the magic in the ordinary moments — the belly laughs, bedtime chats, early morning cuddles. Being a dad has brought a depth of love and meaning I never imagined. It's a daily reminder of what truly matters. One piece of parenting wisdom you got from your own father? Tom Dunne: 'You only get a lend of them.' Brian Redmond: My own father was, and is, very big on the connection between siblings. He was always very big on fostering that relationship between myself and my brother, and it's something I'd like to try and make sure happens between my own kids. Dr Richard Hogan, psychotherapist, author, podcaster. Dad to Hannah (14), Lizzy (11), and Sophie (eight) Dr Richard Hogan: I don't think I received any, to be honest. When I think about it, the legacy of his parenting was how to be spontaneous, not to take the rules so seriously. And I've passed that on to my own children. PJ Gallagher: I don't know if I ever got any wisdom from my old man, at least nothing I can say in the newspaper, but if I learned anything from him, I think it's that it is probably all right not to grow up yourself. In fact, it probably helps not to be a grown-up around your own kids. Being in the same frame of mind as your kids is probably a very good thing. Arthur Gourounlian: I was 16 when my dad passed away [so] any parenting advice is from my mom. My mom is my icon. She always said to me, stay happy, and stay healthy. Don't think about what others say. Don't try to copy any other person. Be you. And don't envy anyone. Kevin Dundon: Be single-minded in your efforts for where you want to get to. Brendan O'Connor: My father's great motto about babies and children was 'Let sleeping dogs lie'. He meant this pretty literally. If they're asleep or otherwise engaged, leave them alone, don't draw them on you. Which you can apply to anything in life, really. Carl Mullan, TV and radio presenter and co-host of The RTÉ 2fm Breakfast Show. Dad to Daibhí (three), Éala (21 months), and Béibhínn (four months) Carl Mullan: Dad was amazing at vocalising his feelings with us as young kids. I always remember him telling us how proud he was of us, how much he loved us (he still does). Definitely something I'm taking straight out of his playbook. That and the importance of embracing joy and laughter in the house. Neven Maguire: Both of my parents always said to be good and kind to people and to treat everyone like family. David Flynn: Kids don't learn from what you say, they learn from how you are. Your actions are the real lesson. Stephen Flynn: Our dad had this calm presence, and I've realised that being steady and grounded has more impact than any advice I give. Kids feel who you are more than they hear what you say. Has becoming a father changed you, and if so, how? Tom Dunne: You become more worried about external threats, climate change, wars. Brian Redmond, Dancing With the Stars judge, presenter of The KCLR Daily radio show. Dad to Alex (15) and Anna (10) Brian Redmond: It's made me more empathetic, given me a stronger sense of other people's needs. When you become a parent, you become acutely tuned into the needs of somebody else. Dr Richard Hogan: I don't think there's anything that impacts on your identity like becoming a parent. It absolutely changes you. The responsibility, but also the love that you experience. I think the love you have for your child is something incredible. It changes you, changes what you think about the world, how you analyse who you are, what you're about — it should, anyway! PJ Gallagher: Yes, it's changed me. I'm permanently exhausted all the time! It's the first time in my life I have been around people I'm blood related to because I was adopted, so that's an unusual one for me. It's a very profound change. It's changed literally everything. My hairline, my waistline, my times I sleep, my times I don't sleep. Relationships. I cannot even remember the existence I had two years ago. People say, blink and you'll miss it. Honestly, it's been the longest two years of my life! But I don't regret it. I love it. Arthur Gourounlian: It's all about my kids now, spending time with them, building the family and enjoying every minute of it. It's not about me anymore. I'm obsessed with fashion, but I sometimes forget to buy for me now, it's all about the girls. So I'm changing in a beautiful way; I'm very content. Kevin Dundon, chef, director of Dunbrody Country House Hotel, cookbook author. Dad to Emily (24), Sophie (21), and Tom (17) Kevin Dundon: For sure, probably in a thousand different ways. All good, but you always worry whether they're sick, flying off somewhere new, sitting exams, heading out onto the rugby pitch … Brendan O'Connor: I suppose it has. Maybe I had to start growing up a bit. But who knows how much of your evolution is to do with any one thing? You'd like to think we are all growing and changing all the time anyway. Also, I lost interest in other people's children for a while when I had my own. But you come back around again. I'm kind of partial to babies and cute little kids again these days. Maybe it's evolutionary. Maybe I have grandad hormones kicking in now. In the olden days, I'd have been a grandad now. I am a granduncle, which is sobering. Granduncles used to be old men in my day. I should add I'm in no hurry to become a grandad. Carl Mullan: It has and it hasn't, to give a very unsatisfactory answer. I still think there's plenty of pre-Dad Carl in me, but now that I have kids, I try to look at the bigger picture. I look at everything through the lens of our family and whether it benefits us as a whole. I'm not as much of a 'yes man' anymore. Having kids is a great excuse to say no! Neven Maguire, chef and owner of McNean House, Blacklion, Co Cavan. Dad to twins Connor and Lucia (13) Neven Maguire: The first love you know is from your parents. And then the love of your wife is a new experience. We were married for five years before Connor and Lucia were born. And that is a whole new kind of love. We feel very lucky. David Flynn: Fatherhood has changed me in every way. It's hands-down the most fulfilling part of my life, probably because it requires all of me, every day. Stephen Flynn: Fatherhood has absolutely softened me. It's cracked me open and taught me to listen better, love deeper, and let go more. It's helped me grow up, in the best way. Any advice for those about to become dads? Tom Dunne: Enjoy every moment. It is full of challenges, problems, worries, and catastrophes. The worst part? It's over too soon. It will be 20 years of your life that someday you will know was the absolute golden time. Brian Redmond: Buckle in, because it is a long ride. It's definitely going to change you. Being a dad is a lot more than just making sure that they're fed and watered and happy, you've got to try and mould them and facilitate them growing into a good person. Dr Richard Hogan: Parenting isn't about being your child's best friend, it's about being supportive; being by their side, not on their side; allowing them to make mistakes. Understand that adolescence is all about making mistakes. That whole journey of watching someone develop, it's the most remarkable journey. It's what it's all about. And it's a gift; an absolute miracle. So it's about celebrating that, but not losing yourself in all of that busyness. PJ Gallagher, co-host of Radio Nova's Morning Glory with PJ & Jim. Dad to twins Milo and Stevie (21 months) PJ Gallagher: You don't have to do it! You definitely will love it if you do it. We had twins and people say, oh, you got it all done at once, but you can be done at one and you can be done at none. So there's no pressure. There is no right way and there is no wrong way, there's just your own way. Arthur Gourounlian: Don't listen to anybody, unless it's good advice. Every kid is different. Every parent is different. Don't get brainwashed by other people. Make sure you listen to your kids. It's all about communication. The number-one important thing for me is to listen to Blake and Blu and just go with the flow. That's my advice. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Kevin Dundon: As small children, you do have to do everything for them but as they get older, let them grow, become independent, turn into their own persons and learn to respect them as they become adults. Brendan O'Connor, journalist and presenter of the Brendan O'Connor Show on RTÉ Radio 1. Dad to Anna (17) and Mary (14) Brendan O'Connor: The main bit of unasked-for advice I offer young or prospective parents-to-be it's that it's all phases, and just when you think you can't take one phase anymore, babies magically sense they've pushed their luck and they switch to a new phase. So always remember, none of it is permanent. As I get older, and my kids get older, I think I have come to realise that all these people who are around trying to mould their children are onto a loser. I've started to think they just turn out the way they turn out. Our main job is to be there for them while they do it, and I suppose try and create a reasonably stable and reliable environment. Carl Mullan: It's truly wonderful. You genuinely can't prepare yourself for the joy your kids will bring. It's also OK to acknowledge that it's hard, especially at the start. It's tough, it'll put strain on your work life, your personal life, you'll mourn the loss of your identity before becoming a parent ... But, it's still the greatest thing you'll ever do and you'll love every second. Neven Maguire: You are about to begin one of the most fabulous chapters of life. Don't let it fly by. Enjoy it. David Flynn: They won't want bedtime cuddles forever, so soak it all in. Remember it's a marathon, not a sprint. Focus on rhythms and routines that are sustainable, and show up with love. That's what they'll remember most. Stephen Flynn: Savour the little moments. They pass so fast. Build routines that support you and your family, because consistency beats perfection. And don't forget to laugh, a lot. It makes everything easier. Read More How Cork got a science centre and space observatory in a 16th-century castle
Irish Examiner
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Tom Dunne: Fond memories of the man who made Sin-é in New York so special
You don't know what you've got till it's gone. Something Happens, used to play Sin-é a lot in the early 1990s. It was dark and dirty, surrounded by homelessness, drug issues and violence. There was no stage. The only fee was a bucket passed around for donations. It was the most exciting place on earth. We both noticed and didn't notice that fact. The fact that danger was everywhere, and music was conspiring to starve you to death sometimes blinded you to the fact that Debbie Harry lived up the street, or that Madonna was sending her car for someone who worked there. You took things for granted. It was always a place you stopped off at on the way to somewhere else. You played there on a night off from a bigger tour. You played because its owner, Shane Doyle asked you, and what Shane asked you just did. Firstly, because he was a legend and secondly because he was a lovely, gentle soul. He opened Sin-é almost by accident. He had arrived in NYC in the early 1980s, having perceptively observed that 'there was nothing going on in Ireland.' A brief time as host in a West Village restaurant convinced him that 'hanging out' was his calling. He was right. He opened Sin-é at 122 St. Mark's Place in 1989. New York, and that area in particular, was not in a good place at the time. Time Square was almost lawless. The city was filthy and dangerous. It felt like the set of Blade Runner. And like Blade Runner, it was very, very cool. St Mark's Place had form. Leon Trotsky and WH Auden had lived there. Andy Warhol had run a night club there, Man Ray went to school there, the Five Spot Jazz Club had been home to Thelonius Monk, Billie Holiday, John Coltrane and Charlie Parker. It had featured in album sleeves by New York Dolls and Led Zeppelin. By the time Shane opened his doors it had become home to the New York Punk scene. The Manic Panic boutique had opened, the NYC equivalent of the Malcolm McClaren's Sex boutique in the UK. It was home to cutting edge galleries like 51X and Club 57. Bowie lived on nearby Lafayette Street. Sin é sold tea, coffee and Rolling Rock. Occasionally Shane would make a huge pot of stew and bring that over, but that was as good as it got. Having so stage meant that to play you had to push back a few chairs. But what it lacked in equipment, it made up for in Shane. Suddenly, people like Gabriel Byrne, Marianne Faithful and Alan Ginsberg were doing readings while Iggy Pop and Johnny Depp drank coffee. Performances followed from Sinead O'Connor, Lana del Rey, the Pogues, and Mike Scott. The room just had something. But the star turn was Jeff Buckley. He came to Shane with a demo tape and a press review in early 1991. 'I don't like listening to tapes' said Shane, 'I looked at him and thought let's see what's he got.' The Monday night residency that followed was the making of Buckley. I met both Buckley and Shane at that point. Buckley, languidly smoking at the bar where serving him his Rolling Rock was Handsome Dick Manitoba, the one-time singer with the Dictators. I remember the New York afternoon sun piecing the bar's gloom as we waited for Jeff to go on. I remember too, a young photographer's assistant who had emigrated from Ireland just recently and had made his way to Sin é to meet other Irish people, any other Irish people. He was nervous, still wearing the clothes his parents bought him. Sleeping on a friend's floor, determined to try it for a month. I met him again a few months later. He was unrecognisable, working for a photographer uptown, excited by the work, dating a Hispanic girl and playing pool in bar around the corner. 'I know a great club if you guys are staying,' he advised. Shane was instrumental in putting that scene together. It wasn't just giving people a place to hang out or perform, it was a place to find themselves. That was his gift; helping to make things happen, inviting people in, facilitating the magic. I was sad to hear of his passing. He connected entire waves of emigrant Irish not just with each other but with the best things that America and NYC could possibly offer them.
